Why I Love Alcohol
by Calie1
Summary: This is why I love alcohol. Oliver and Chloe find it easy to lose themselves in a fake relationship and fancy penthouse with a little bit of alcohol.
1. Chapter 1

"Anything

"Anything?"

"No, where the hell are you?" Chloe said through gritted teeth, trying her best not to make it look like she wasn't talking to herself. "If Lex sees me here by myself I'm in big trouble." A couple of guys walked passed her, and looked her way with an appreciative glance. "And I've already gotten hit on."

"_I'm sure you were so offended."_

The sarcastic tone in his voice wasn't hard to miss but she chose to ignore it. Especially since she just spotted Lex. "I see him."

"_Just keep your head down."_

"Right." But from the corner of her eye she could see him moving closer. "I'm changing position and heading towards the restrooms."

He wouldn't be looking for her at the party and hopefully wouldn't even recognize her. But that was a fool's hope. When she glanced behind her he was a ways back but walking in her direction. His eyes then narrowed and she knew that he'd seen her. "He's seen me."

"_Keeping walking."_

He couldn't do anything she told herself, they were in a public place after all. That thought still didn't make her feel much better though. An arm wrapped around her waste, pulling here back into a hard chest. Screaming wouldn't have been wise but it was the most natural reaction. Before she could do so a familiar voice spoke into her ear.

"Shhhhh." Oliver said softly. "It isn't going to look to good when you scream at the touch of your date." He could feel her body relax against him and he couldn't help but relax himself.

"Took you long enough." Chloe said angrily as she turned around to face Oliver. He smirked down at her and pulled her against him with the arm that still surrounded her waste.

"I'm going to kiss you. Nothing big so don't panic." Oliver lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss. It was only peck which could have appeared to be between friends if it wasn't for his arms around her waste. It was necessary but he wouldn't deny that he enjoyed it.

"Behind you." Chloe whispered as they parted.

Oliver turned around and smiled haughtily at Lex. "Well Lex fancy meeting you here."

"Right." It wasn't Oliver that Lex had his eyes on though. It was the woman that Oliver had at his side. "I'd expect to see you here Oliver but Chloe?" He looked pointedly at the girl glaring back at him. "Slumming now?"

Before Oliver could even be offended Chloe stepped forward. Quickly, he reached out and grabbed her arm. "I wouldn't want to make her mad Lex. I mean her and Lois aren't usually very kind to you in the paper are they?" When Lex didn't seem too intimidated Oliver decided to push a little further. "I don't like you insulting her either."

"See you." Lex sneered then turned back away. He almost hadn't recognized her if he hadn't seen her eyes. With an expensive dress and what was obviously priceless jewelry she had blended in well. Was Oliver really that generous with her or was there something else going on. What he wouldn't have given to get his hands on her and find out exactly what they were doing together. Chloe hated him enough to do anything to get back at him and Oliver's feelings were mutual. With Oliver's resources that could mean trouble if they were out to get him.

"_Whoa, Lex almost bought the big one. Come on Arrow, not going to defend your woman?"_

"Shut up." Oliver growled out to Bart. "I told you to stay silent." Oliver dropped his hand from her arm and rested it on her lower back. "Let's get a drink?"

"A drink? We're drinking on the job?" That sounded like it would have been one of Oliver's bigger no no's.

"Yes. Right now I'm Oliver Queen. Have to keep up appearances and that includes buying you a very expensive glass of champagne."

"Or perhaps you're just trying to lower my inhibitions." At first he didn't respond and just pulled out a chair at the bar.

Once he joined her he looked at her seriously. "Trust me, if my goal was to get you in bed I wouldn't have to lower your inhibitions."

"Always so confident. Look I really have to go to the bathroom." He opened his mouth and she was sure it was to say it wasn't a good idea but she started walking off anyway. "I'll be back."

Oliver frowned and watched her figure walk away. A couple of seats down he spotted two guys turn their heads in the same direction. He should have known that dress would be a bad idea. It seemed like a great idea at the time when he had gone with her and purchased it at the recommendation of the sales woman. Now he understood why she had been annoyed earlier at being hit on. He was annoyed himself.

When Chloe returned she found Oliver, standing, with his back against the bar, and chatting with a woman and two men.

"Chloe." Oliver reached behind him and retrieved her glass. After handing it to her he continued. "I'd like you to meet Brett Sanders, Christian Baker, and Brett's girlfriend Olivia. This is my girlfriend, Chloe Sullivan."

"Your name sounds vaguely familiar."

Chloe fought against glaring at him. So did his. Although she never had anything to do with him Lois had done a story on him. He owned hotels all over the country and a couple across the globe. Lois most recently got wind of a rumor that he was underpaying some staff that he had brought in from third world countries. Oliver should have been ashamed of himself for speaking with that idiot. "I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet." Already she could see his face clouding over and she couldn't help but get a little pleasure out of it. "Actually, you probably know my cousin, Lois Lane." Just as the last words left her mouth someone roughly pinched her backside. Chloe had to fight down the urge to yelp. It didn't take much for her to realize it was Oliver expressing his displeasure.

"Yes, I do know Ms. Lane." Brett looked back to Oliver. "Good luck."

Chloe glared at the other mans back as they all retreated after quick goodbyes. It didn't take an idiot to know what he meant by good luck. "Idiot."

"Listen." Oliver turned her towards him with his hand on her hip and lowered his lips to her ear. "As much as I'm sure Lex will bad mouth you himself you don't need to help him along. The goal is to get to Lex." He uncontrollably squeezed her hip in frustration. "Not make everyone think I'm crazy to keep dating these annoying reporters." Slowly he relaxed his hand but didn't remove it. "Okay?"

"Yes." At first she felt to guilty to look him in the eye. It was his fingers tilting her chin up to look at him that made all of her anger melt away and her heart warm by the gentle look on his face.

"I didn't like him much anyway, but at least let's try to be careful next time. Okay?" He'd been a little hard on her he supposed. It was Brett's reaction to the word reporter that began the whole thing. Plus he couldn't blame her. The guy realy was a second class citizen. When she nodded he smiled with relief. "Alright, drink you glass and we'll find some more pleasant people to talk to."

"_There doesn't appear to be anything suspicious." Victor said over the com._

"Alright. Keep patrolling for the next thirty minutes then check in with me. I wouldn't put it past Lex to try to discover if Chloe and I aren't really in a relationship."

"Whoa!" Chloe stumbled on her heals and caught Oliver's arm before she fell forward. "Whew. What were you thinking giving me all that champagne?!"

"Take off those ridiculous shoes."

She chose to follow his advice and walked over to the wall of the hallway and leaned against it. As she bent over her world spun again but Oliver steadied her.

"You're ridiculous." He shook his head but knelt at her feet and began unbuckling her shoes.

"You're my hero." She let her head fall back and laughed at her own joke.

Instead of saying anything he just rolled his eyes at her. "And you're definitely not a damsel in distress."

"No, I'm your drunken pretend girlfriend." She looked down at him seriously. "But that doesn't mean you get the benefits of a girlfriend."

"I wouldn't even imagine." He said dramatically and stood up. After taking her shoes off she was quite a few inches shorter than him. "Let's get you to bed."

"I knew you wanted me." Chloe said cheekily and took the arm he held out to her. "Did I look hot tonight Ollie?"

She never called him by his nickname. It was strange but a little comforting at the same time. Even though it took her being drunk she had let down some of her guard. "You know you did. You said so yourself that you got hit on. If it makes you feel better I saw a couple of guys checking you out as you went to the bathroom."

"That doesn't answer my question." They had finally arrived at the end of the hallway. She waited as he slipped in the key card and opened the door for her. When she stepped in her mouth dropped. He had told her ahead of time they he had booked the penthouse suit. All about appearances he had explained to her. But she had no idea it would be so huge. It was lavish and probably twenty times the size of her apartment and even larger then his place in Metropolis. In the living room area there were no walls, just windows. At the sound of water she walked further into the suit and spotted fountain connected to a pool which sat outside of the penthouse. "Wow!"

"Yea, it's okay." He walked over to the complimentary baskets. A bottle of chilled champagne sat in a bucket and he debated on whether to open it. With a shrug he lifted it out. While he worked on opening the bottle he watched Chloe out of the corner of his eye as she walked around the penthouse. He pretended like it hadn't been much but he had to admit he had gone a little overboard.

"Anyway," Chloe had eventually come back to herself and joined him at the bar where he was holding out a glass of champagne for her. "You didn't answer my question though. I asked you if _you _thought I looked hot."

"You know that is a no win situation Chloe." Oliver walked over to one of the sofas and took a seat.

Something gave her the feeling that she may have started something. "Why is that?"

When she joined him he continued. "If I say no then I'm an asshole. If I say yes than that means I have no respect for our friendship."

"Oh don't be ridiculous!" Chloe fell back into the sofa and laughed. "Come on Oliver. I mean you went through all this trouble to make sure I looked good. Spent a whole bunch of money on a dress and sent me this jewelry which probably costs more than I'll ever earn in my life time. I mean you went through all that trouble and you can't even say it was worth it."

She really had backed him into a corner. Now he had to say yes. If he didn't then she would think that all of his efforts were in vain.

"Oliver, it's just a question. I mean we're friends. Just tell me the truth."

So he decided to only partially give her what she wanted. "Have you ever heard of Oliver Queen never having an attractive girl on his arm?'

Chloe rolled her eyes. He was so predictable. "I'm sure the conquest of finding attractive woman to wear on your arm must take up a lot time that would usually be spent on your other duties." With that last comment she stood up and headed back to the bar.

"Hey!" He watched her walk to the bar with some confusion. She was drunk, he knew that, so how had she still been able to twist his words and make him sound like an egotistical idiot. "Now you know that isn't what I meant."

"I don't know what you meant. You've managed to avoid my question, that's all I know." When she picked up the filled glass he lifted it out of her hand and set it back on the counter. "Yes?"

"You're mad." It wasn't a question. He knew she was mad. He could tell by the firmness of her lips and her arched eyebrow.

"Maybe just a little hurt." She was used to being brushed off. Her only successful relationship was with Jimmy and she felt bad to admit it but it had been boring. How could she settle for normal after everything she had done and seen? But when she did reach out for something she might want, Clark and although she tried to ignore it, maybe Ollie, she always got shut down. Always. It was beginning to feel like maybe she wasn't at their level. Maybe she was just too normal for them. "But I did have a nice time tonight, even if it was all fake. Thank you."

She smiled at him and then retrieved her glass from the bar and took another sip of the champagne. Somehow, he felt even guiltier. Still intent on fixing what he had done, Oliver took her glass and placed it onto the counter. "You didn't need an expensive dress and jewelry to make you look beautiful Chloe. It looked nice on you but you would have liked fine without it."

"Without all of it?" Chloe questioned with a raised eyebrow.

He shouldn't have been playing along. They always had a relationship with mild flirting. It usually didn't stray into speculation of them sleeping together though. But she did look beautiful and the fact that they were away from everyone and everything left him with the feeling that it was only the two of them. "Well maybe not all of it." He lifted his hand up and fingered the emerald and diamond pendant that he had sent to her apartment that morning. "Maybe you could keep the jewelry on."


	2. Chapter 2

Two more glasses of champagne and a swig of some little bottle in the mini fridge Chloe was on cloud nine. "I love that pool." After getting confirmation from the rest of the team that everything was okay they had made there way out to the balcony and where now looking over it to the pool.

"Yea, well I'm not sure about swimming where everyone can see." Oliver glanced over at her, once again checking to make sure he had not let her drink to much champagne. When she had opened the mini fridge and said aloud 'I wonder what this is?' and downed it he had gotten a little concerned. Especially, when she choked on it.

"I'll be back." Chloe stood up strait and ran off towards the bedroom.

"What are you doing?!"

"You'll see!"

Oliver groaned and dropped his head. He'd let continue drinking because he thought she might eventually pass out. There seemed to be no end in sight though. For a long time there was no sign of her and just as he was ready to check on her he heard a door open. Below him Chloe exited the first floor and was standing on the edge of the pool. "Come on Chloe!" She then turned to him and looked up. At first he hadn't been aware of what she was wearing. Now that she was facing him it was hard to miss. Instead of the expensive dress he had purchased for her, she now wore a green lace bra and what appeared to be pink boy shorts. It was an outrageous combination but that wasn't what bothered him. "You're in your underwear!"

"It's like a bathing suit!" She yelled up to him. "Be grateful! I changed out of the matching thong!" With that she waved and dived in.

For a moment he panicked. She'd had a lot to drink and probably shouldn't be swimming on her own. Oliver had been ready to launch himself over the balcony when she surfaced. "Don't move!" He stepped away from the balcony then went back again. "I'm serious!"

"Gotcha ya!" Chloe saluted then dived back into the water.

After racing down to the first floor and throwing open the glass doors he found her against the side of the pool with her arms resting atop the granite floor.

"Coming in?" Just for extra measure she waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Don't be ridiculous." But she was still looking up at him with a knowing smirk. "What the hell." Perhaps he could use alcohol as an excuse if he ever had to explain what he and Chloe were doing in a pool with only their underwear on. But there would probably not be another opportunity to be around Chloe in her underwear again, he couldn't pass it up.

Chloe grinned and clapped her hands. He started to unbutton his shirt and her grin slowly faded. What the hell had she been thinking? Seeing Oliver in his Green Arrow suit was hard enough on a girl but seeing Oliver without his shirt was a very bad idea. But she had started it and was determined to finish it. So with a knowing smirk she turned around and dived back into the pool and swam to the other end. When she reached the granite wall she resurfaced. "You could be at least a little teasing."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" He'd already disposed of his shirt and was now pulling his under shirt over his head. She smiled again but there was something totally different in her face. If it hadn't been Chloe he would have though she might attack him.

"Maybe." When he reached for the buckle she held her breath. She'd at least run to the room to undress, but he didn't care in the least.

"Now don't get to excited." He said as he unzipped his pants and smirked down at her.

"Please." With an annoyed frown she turned around. "I won't even look."

"Sure." True to her word though, she didn't turn around. After he was left in only his boxer briefs he dived into the pool.

At the sound of the water splashing her breath caught in her throat and she spun around. It took her only a moment to see his body under the pool and it was only a second later before he had yanked her under. Chloe screamed before she was pulled under water and wound up with a mouth full of water. When she resurfaced she was coughing and doing her best to glare at an amused Oliver.

"Serves you right." He stepped back, sure that if she had the opportunity to pay him back she would.

"What? Why?" After finally coughing up all the water she smoothed her blond hair back and did her best to look dignified.

"Oh come on Chloe. I'm a lot of things. And one of them is a guy. Any decent looking girl in her underwear is going to get a reaction out of me." He should have held his tongue he realized. Because she grinned and he could have sworn he saw her ego inflating.

"Really?" Chloe waded forward and kept herself afloat near him. "So, you're saying I look hot?"

"For the love of-." Oliver shook his head and glared at her. She was intent on making him say it. "You looked hot earlier." He reached out a hand and pulled her to him through the water. "Now, is a totally different story."

His voice was much lower and instead of panicking like she should have she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You might need to explain further."

"I'll show you." He whispered as his lips pressed against her own.

Chloe gasped as his lips made contact with hers and dug her fingers into his shoulder when his tongue slid past her lips. Without any thought she wrapped her legs around his waist and returned the kiss.

"_Victor to Arrow, we've got trouble."_

Oliver released Chloe's lips and looked in the direction of his earpiece which lay in the pocket of his pants. "Just, hold on." Her legs fell away from him and just as he turned away from her he began having second thoughts and looked back. "I'm serious."

Chloe fought a smile and nodded. When he finally retreated to the shallow end of the pool she swam over to the side and rested her arms on top off the granite.

When his pants were within reach Oliver grabbed them and yanked out his earpiece. "What's going on?"

"_We've got a spy." Victor responded. "I think he's been taping you."_

"_He made us! He's on the move. Orders!" _

The last voice was AC. Bart was bound to be there somewhere. But that didn't matter. All Oliver could think about was the fact that everything that had just happened between Chloe and himself was on tape. Even with alcohol clouding his brain his mind was still running a mile a minute. Finally he came to a conclusion. "Let him go."

"_What?" AC exclaimed._

"Let him go." It was perfect really. Lex had Chloe and him on tape, and in a very compromising position. He couldn't have asked for more. When Oliver set down his earpiece, he turned back to face Chloe. "We need to talk."


End file.
